Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Book Club Book Review: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

If you like big books, historical fiction, romance, novels about Scotland, strong women, adventure, time travel, mystery, or even a little witchcraft/medicine, I think you'll enjoy Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. This first installment in a saga that spans (so far) approximately 35 years between 1740-1776 is just about as perfect as a big book with all those elements listed above can be.

So, what's the basic plot you ask? That's more difficult to answer than you might think but I'll give it a try. Clare, 20th century nurse just finishing up with WWII, is "honeymooning" with her husband Frank Randall in Scotland when she "falls" into a time travel portal and finds herself in the middle of a cattle raid/skirmish in 1740-ish. She is rescued from the hands of the knave, Jack Randall (Frank's ancestor), by another scoundrel, Jamie Fraser. As she travels farther from her escape route (the stone circle she fell through) she is more desperate to get back all the while falling more for Jamie.

Being a healer, though, Clare must help those in need, and becomes known for her powers. Suspected as a witch among many other things, Clare and Jamie have to negotiate the time that she's in (he doesn't know about her time traveling abilities, and when he finds out he doesn't really believe her). The two are continually getting in trouble, being caught and sent to prison, etc., and have to rescue one another.

The reason I am always so reluctant to give a summary of this book is because it sounds like such a silly plot, but really it is very well written, smart, believable, and a terrific consuming read. I have read all 6 installments (the first 5 twice) and can only hope that Gabaldon is writing ferociously to get the 7th out.

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